Can opener bracket



May 3, 1960 c. M. HIGGINS 2,935,287

CAN OPENER BRACKET Filed June 2. 1958 aUnited States i Patent i CAN OPENER BRACKET Charies M. Higgins, Manhattan Beach, Caiif.

Application `lune 2, 1958, Serial No. 739,357

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-298) This invention relates to bracket means for supporting a can opener and particularly one in which the can opener is slidably mounted for movement between a rearward inactive and partially concealed position and a forward position in which it is accessible for use and which invention constitutes an improvement over the can opener bracket which forms the subject matter of my prior application Serial No. 397,986, filed December l1, 1953, now abandoned.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a can opener bracket comprising a track element and a bracket member slidable on the track element and adapted to carry a can opener together with fulcrumed latch means operating automatically to latch the bracket element in its forward position so that while the can opener is being used the bracket portion is held against sliding movement on the track component.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opener bracket of the above character which is characterized by extreme simplification in design and manufacture with resultant economical production and the possibility of sale at a price attractive to a wide range of buyers.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts disclosed, by way of example, in the following specification of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a can Opener bracket embodying the present inventiomthe device being shown in side elevation as applied to the lower surface of a cupboard or shelf and showing the position of a can opener thereon in extended position in dotted lines and in retracted position in dash lines,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View on enlarged scale of the device shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the staggered line 3 3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the component parts of the device.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a track or guide component 1, a bracket component 2 and a latch member 3. The track component 1 comprises a strip of sheet metal having the parallel side edges thereof bent downwardly and thence inwardly to form parallel, spaced return bends 4, 4 and the edges thereof are thence turned downwardly as at 5 with reference to the position of use of the device the said return bends and downwardly extending edges forming guiding means for the head element 6 of the bracket component. The side edges of the head element 6 are tm-ned upwardly as at 7, 7 closely fitting the channel formed by the downturned edges 5, 5 of the track component and thence the 2,935,287 Patented May 3, 1950 side edges of the head element 6 are turned oppositely outwardly as at 8, 8 to ride within the return bends 4,4, the overall width of the head element being such as to slide freely along the track component with a minimum of side play.

The head element 6 carries a depending bracket member 9 Vsecured against the underface of the head element by a series of tabs 10 which project upwardly through complementary slots in the head member 6 and are clinched over against the upper surface of the head member. The bracket member 9 comprises a flat depending front face 11 and integrally formed side portions 12, 12 and the said front face portion 11 is provided with a plurality of holes 13 extending therethrough, said holes being arranged for the attachment thereto of one or the other of the various types of socket elements associated with different makes of can openers for detachable mounting of the can opener thereon.

The head member 6 at about the mid-width thereof and spaced inwardly from the rear edge thereof is provided with a slot 14 through which the shank 15 of the latch member 3 extends said latch member being formed from a strip of metal bent to somewhat more than a right angle adjacent to one end thereof and having a spur portion 16 struck outwardly therefrom adjacent to the bend in this latch member which supports the latch member and serves as a fulcrum therefor. Rearwardly of the slot 14 the head member 6 is provided with upturned tabs 17, 17 spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the latch member 3 said tabs serving as guides for the shorter bent en d 18 of the latch member as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The track component 1 is provided with a downwardly struck portion 19 adjacent the forward end thereof adapted to be engaged by the upstanding tab 20 struck out of the head member 6 adjacent the forward end thereof to prevent movement of the bracket component out of the forward end of the track member. The track component rearwardly of the portion 19 is further provided with a similar but oppositely disposed downwardly struck portion 21 adapted to be engaged by the end of the end 18 of the latch member 3 when the bracket component is moved to forward position. Bias for the latching action is provided by a leaf spring 22 having a portion 22' extending parallel to the front face of the latch shank or handle 15 and to which it is attached by tabs 23, 23 eX- tending through holes 24, 24 in the handle 15 and engaging the opposite face of the handle, said spring having an upwardly and forwardly free end 25 engaging the under face of the head 6 under initial tension and thus acting both to hold the latch member spur 16 seated on the member 6 and to impart a yielding bias for counterclockwise rotative movement to the latch for the latching action thereof when the bracket component is moved to its forward position. The bracket component 2 is thus held in position on the track member 1 until such time as the can opener C mounted thereon is no longer required, at which time the handle 15 of the latch member is moved toward the front face of the bracket or to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 which disengages the latch from the member 21 and allows the bracket component to be moved to the rear of the track member 1. Preferably, the track member is provided with a series of holes 22 whereby it may be attached to the under side of a shelf or cupboard by screws S, the rear end of the track member being positioned either against the wall or at least suiciently close to the wall so that the bracket component will be retained within the track and cannot be removed therefrom.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a can opener bracket means formed of very few parts all of extremely simple design. For example the track comand the latch member does not require the use of any The-bracket compbnentY is formed of two parts of simple sheet metal stampings' hinge pin but is caused to rest on the spur portion 16 by the action of the leaf spring 22 which also provides the bias for the latching action.

While in the foregoing specification there has been disclosed a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, it is not to be inferred that the invention is limited to the exact form so disclosed Yby way of example and it Willbe understood that the invention includes all such modifications andchanges in thetparts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a supporting means for can openers, a track component comprising a metal strip having the side edges thereof formed into shallow returny bends facing each otherrand providing a pair of parallel, opposed grooves at the underside thereof forming a track, a bracket component comprising a head portion having opposed parallel side edges slidably engaging said grooves and a bracket V4'portion depending from said head portion and having screw receiving holes on the front face thereof atording means for mounting the supporting socket component of a detachably mounted can opener .device on said bracket member, a iirst stop member formed integrally with and depending from said track component adjacent the front end thereof, a stop element carried by said head portion engageable with said rst stop member and effective to prevent movement of said head portion out of the front end of said track component, a second stop member formed integrally with and depending from said track component; said second stop member being opposed to said rst stop member and spaced therefrom a distance portion of said latch member extends downwardly in rear of said bracket portion and carries a spring biased by reaction against the'under face of said Vhead portion to normally yieldingly hold said Vlatch member in stop engaging position, said latch member further having an outwardly projecting spur portion at the outer face of said bend engageable with the Vupper face of seid head portion effective to serve as a`fulcrum for said latch member.

less than the length of said head portion, and a pivotally mounted, spring biased, manually releasable latch member carried by said head portion and operable automatically to engage said second stop member when said head portion is moved into engagement with said first stop member with resultant positive locking of said head portion against rearward movement along said track component until said latch member is manually released as a prior incident to said rearward movement; said latch member comprising a strip of metal bent adjacent to one end thereof at an angle greater than a right angle and said head portion having a slot through which the longer 2. In a supporting means for can openers, a track component comprising a metal strip having the side edges thereof formed into shallow return bends facing each other and providing a pair of parallel, opposed grooves at the under side thereof forming a track, a bracket com- Y ponent comprising a head portion havingopposed parallel side edges slideably engaging said grooves and a bracket portion depending from said head portion and having screw receiving holes on the front face thereofaiording means for mounting the supporting bracket component of a detachably mounted can opener device on said bracket member, a first stop member formed integrally with and depending from said track component adjacent the front endthereof, a stop element carried` by said head portion engageable with saidtiirst stop member and efective'to prevent movement of said head portion out of the frontend ofl said track component, a second stop member formed integrally with kand depending from said trackfcomponent; said second stop member being opposed to said irst stop member and spaced therefrom a distance less than the length of said head portion, and a pivotally mounted,V spring biased, manually reieasable latch member carried by said head portion and operable automatically to engage saidV second stop member when said head portion is moved into engagement with said irst stop member with resultant positive locking of said head portion against rearward movement along said track component until said latch member is manually released as a prior incidentV to said rearward movement; the sides of'v References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS zimbausf Angie, 193s Bohoy Nov. 20, 1956 

